USA successfully defended the crown at the NORCECA Men's Junior Continental Championship and have medaled in eight editions

Colorado Springs, USA, September 1, 2012 - Mexico secured the third and final spot available to NORCECA into the 2013 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Junior World Championship in Turkey by sweeping Puerto Rico in straight sets on Saturday.

In the match for the gold medal, defending champions United States defeated Canada, with both teams already qualified to the world championship as the top three places in NORCECA advanced.

The Americans have now medaled in all eight editions of the tournament, including two silver medals and four bronze medals. Canada has now finished with the silver medal in the last three NORCECA Men’s Junior Continental Championships to go along with titles in 1998 and 2002 and a bronze medal in 2006.

“First off I want to say Canada played a great match today,” United States captain Micah Christenson said. “They forced us to play our best match of the tournament and forced us to pick up our game. It was a whole group effort winning the tournament.”

United States 3, Canada 1The United States defeated Canada 26-24, 25-17, 23-25, 25-21 in the gold-medal match. The United States has now won the tournament’s gold medal for the second straight time having defeated Canada in the last edition of the biennial tournament held in 2010. Benjamin Patch sparked the United States with a match-high 19 points early in the match, while Nicholas Olson contributed 15 points. Gregory Petty chipped in 12 points. Matthew Tarantino and Douglas White each contributed nine points. Canada had four players in double-figure scoring paced by Ryley Brendan Barnes and Jarrid Michael Ireland with 14 points each. Dany Demyanenko and Stephen Timothy Maar tacked on 11 points apiece.

Mexico 3, Puerto Rico 0Mexico defeated Puerto Rico 25-12, 25-21, 25-16 in the bronze-medal match. The bronze medal represents Mexico’s first-ever medal in the age-group. Puerto Rico was attempting to earn is fifth overall medal in the event as it had won silver in 2000 and 2002 along with bronze in 2004 and 2010. Sergio Perez led Mexico with 13 points and Jesus Alberto Perales added 10 points in the victory. Jose Mendoza totaled 15 digs, while Perez contributed 14 excellent receptions on 17 attempts. Puerto Rico was led by Fabian Rohena Figueroa with nine points and Pedro Fernandez Ramos added seven points. Mexico’s net defense held firm for a 10-4 block advantage. Mexico also limited its errors to seven in the match and benefited from 20 Puerto Rico errors.

Curacao 3, St Vincent and Grenadines 0Curacao topped St. Vincent and the Grenadines 25-11, 25-16, 25-19 in the seventh-place match. The winners were led by Jurcham Meulens with 14 points, while Derrick Alexandre added 13 point in the victory. St. Vincent and the Grenadines was paced by Ijahlon Butler with 10 points followed by Jahmal Small’s seven points. Curacao out-served St. Vincent and the Grenadines 8-0 in aces, while St. Vincent and the Grenadines managed a 7-6 block advantage.